Article Written By: Chris Caraveo
Among the participants in this Sunday’s Daytona 500 are seven rookies who bring a huge infusion of youth into an aging Sprint Cup Series.
Most notable is the pole sitter Austin Dillon, who brings the No. 3 Chevrolet Impala back into the Sprint Cup Series for the first time since the late Dale Earnhardt drove it in this same race 13 years ago.
Dillon is a favorite to earn the rookie award as he won last year’s Nationwide Series Championship. He was fast in practice sessions and won the pole, so he may already be on the way towards bringing the 3 car back to Victory Lane.
The most likely adversary to Dillon is 21-year-old Kyle Larson, who replaces Juan Pablo Montoya at Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing. Larson brings a decent resume. He won the 2012 K & N Pro Series East championship and moved to the Nationwide Series in 2013, where he collected 9 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes in 33 races. If he wants to impress during his rookie year he will have to stay out of trouble, as he had 7 DNFs last season.
Of the other six rookies, the sleeper to watch out for is Justin Allgaier. He drove for Penske Racing his rookie year in Nationwide competition in 2009 and finished third among series regulars (6th overall) since Sprint Cup drivers were allowed to accumulate points back then. He bested that the next year as the top series regular.
Many thought he would move on to the next level in 2011, but he switched teams and stayed in the series. In all five seasons he finished top-six in points. His best finish was 3rd in 2011 with Turner Motorsports (now Turner Scott).
The other five rookies are Parker Kligerman, Michael Annet, Alex Bowman, Cole Whitt and Ryan Truex (brother of Martin Truex, Jr. and who will not participate in the 500). All have had experience in either the Nationwide or Camping World Truck Series. Everyone except for Truex, who has finished in the top 11 at one point during their Nationwide careers.
Expect to see plenty of struggle for those five during the season. As for Dillon, Larson and potentially Allgaier, it should be a three-man race for the Rookie of the Year award. It is hard not to pick Dillon, but he just has everything at his disposal—from the car, equipment and talent—to succeed in his first full season. It would not be a surprise to see each of them win a race, and put some heat on the veterans to do the same.
Yes I did. Should have been clear on that one. Thanks for pointing that out.
When you say all except Truex have finished in the top 11 in Nationwide you mean in the final points standings right?